Microextraction Tech

  In our latest research, wooden toothpicks (WTs) coated with a commercial polyamide such as nylon-6 (N6) were used in a solid phase microextraction (SPME) procedure for the determination of methadone, cocaine, and methamphetamine in saliva. Bare WTs present weak hydrophilic and hydrophobic forces provided by cellulose and lignocellulose, respectively. Consequently, the N6 polymeric coating was used to reinforce the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces with the target analytes. The synthesis of N6-WTs is based on the dip coating technique, where the superficial -OH groups provided by the (ligno)cellulosic components of wood allow the coating of the WTs. This simple dipping-and-drying process consists of the immersion of the WTs in a N6 precursor solution (3 % (w/v) in formic acid), followed by the evaporation of the solvent to anchor the thin polymeric phase to the surface of the WTs. The synthesized sorbents were characterized by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscop...

by Cameron Low, Digital Editor for Bioanalysis Zone As a reader of the Microextraction Tech blog, and as someone who possesses a keen interest in the bioanalytical field, it is a great honor to be able to write this post on Bioanalysis Zone . Bioanalysis Zone is brought to you by Future Science Group, the publishers of Bioanalysis, a prominent fortnightly, peer-reviewed journal. The site features the latest news relevant to those working within the bioanalytical field; articles from Bioanalysis; exclusive interviews and commentaries from opinion leaders working within academia and the pharmaceutical industry; exclusive webinars with a variety of experts; and a business directory. We also provide a forum for the community to discuss recent developments and pose any questions related to this fast moving field. Fabio Garofolo, Associate Editor of Bioanalysis, commented, “I truly believe that since bioanalytical science, techniques and regulations are evolving so fast, it is i...

The article that we highlight today describes a new, simple, efficient and automated extraction technique for high throughput bioanalysis. It has been published in Analytical Chemistry under the title " Gas Pressure Assisted Microliquid–Liquid Extraction Coupled Online to Direct Infusion Mass Spectrometry: A New Automated Screening Platform for Bioanalysis" (1). It is interesting to note that we have described another article from the same research group in a previous post ( Three phase electroextraction ). According to the title, Gas Pressure Assisted Microliquid–Liquid Extraction (GPA-µLLE) is based on the thorough mixture of an aqueous biological sample (donor phase) and a organic solvent (acceptor phase) by means of a gas stream. However, the potential of this technique goes beyond this simple description for many reasons, among which the following are of note : The technique is developed in a multi-plate platform and therefore it can process a high number of s...